At first he decided to devote his life to finding her killer. The novel opens with a â€śsummary abstractâ€ť outlining a tale of tragedy, betrayal, and redemption. The story is subsequently revealed through the notebook entries of a young scientist from San Diego, and the diaries of a visionary, but ill-fated, Oaxacan girl, with whom he falls in love and marries. Her unexplained death and his resulting grief send him into a crucible of madness. His attempt to merge diverse worlds leads to telling revelations about greed and honesty, imagination and integrity, bringing into focus two different approaches to knowledge of the natural world.

excerpt:I am fourteen-and-a-half years old, Mi Diario. Colibri is the name I have chosen for myself. It names the tiny bird that flits from flower to flower with speed and skill. Never stationary, its wings in motion make a blur of color. Though it is the smallest bird in the world, Colibri is â€śpugnaciousâ€ť (it says in a book from mi madre).

SUMNER CARNAHAN has collaborated with composers, performers, and artists for decades to present her writing â€śoff the page.â€ť She was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and lives in Santa Fe. She has nine books in print and numerous recordings of her work. This is her first novel.